"Delicious simplicity," he said during an interview at the Williamsburg Winery. He provides his culinary expertise to the kitchens at Gabriel Archer Tavern and Café Provencal at Wedmore Place.

His skill is in transforming the bounty from local gardens, farms and waterways into recipes that provide memorable, flavorful experiences.

"There is always a wave of fashion in cooking, but at the end of the day, the average person wants to go back to a nice piece of fish or meat, with a good vegetable and a nice sauce," Zaken said. "There is a tendency to mix too many ingredients in one dish. If you have a good product, you want to let it stand alone on the plate."

Zaken learned his craft in kitchens throughout the world, including his native Jerusalem, Israel, where he grew up cooking and eating elaborate meals within his family.

His eye for knowing quality meats was honed working for the famous butcher, Iwo's International Delicatessen in Jerusalem. When he was 22, Zaken opened a butcher shop of his own. He has studied French cuisine in Paris, where he met his wife, Molly, a Williamsburg native.

In 2002, he and Molly opened a restaurant in Antwerp, Belgium, which featured Mediterranean, French and Moroccan cuisine. After several successful years, they sold the restaurant and moved stateside to raise their three children closer to family in Williamsburg.

His said he position at the winery gives him the chance to stretch his culinary muscles in the kitchens of both Gabriel Archer Tavern and Café Provencal. His philosophy is that the best ingredients make the best food. That's why he works with local farmers and businesses to obtain what's freshest.

"I love to work with the locals because of the quality," he said. "For instance, carrots may be a simple vegetable, but there is a big difference between a carrot bought from a large company, and one that was pulled out of the ground three days ago."

Zaken said he enjoys preparing fish and lauds the Hampton Roads region for an abundance of fresh products from the Chesapeake Bay and regional rivers including grouper, monk fish and oysters.

"We live next to the water," he said. "We need to get what the water has."

Zaken's passion for his job is apparent in his voice. He recalls a time in Europe when he decided to take a respite from the kitchen and pursue a job in digital printing. Although it was a good-paying job, he said he was unhappy.

"I was miserable," he said. "I have to do something with my hands, I have to create. There is adrenaline in cooking that is like nothing else."

He continues to vary the menus and offer dishes that showcase the freshest ingredients.

"I write the general title of the dish, but will leave things open," he said. "Maybe today I have baby beets to put on the dish, tomorrow, I may have something else. This makes it good for the customers, and good for the cooks. It is exciting and challenging."